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[There's something odd about knowing a name but never actually hearing the voice. You can put a face to a name and a face to a voice, but can you put a voice to just a name? Her fingernail taps on the enamel of her teeth, trying to figure out what the angle is here. She knows his name, can hear a bit of something she can't place in his tone. It's clear that he's Klaus' brother and maybe even with Katherine not actively going after her, maybe she still needs protection. From Tyler... from - from Shane? Silas?]

Elijah. [She says his name slowly, almost unsure of herself and actually starting a conversation with him. Ever since arriving here she's done so much to distance herself from Klaus, to peel herself away from the foundation of betrayal that her confiding in him had unfortunately provided.]

I'm fine. Why are you asking?

[ she's safe and that is what matters, above all else. her confusion merits a reconsideration, but he continues on without hesitation, honest as he claims to be, for once. ]

I'm a man of my word. I promised to protect you, regardless of location or difficultly. [ a beat. perhaps she means to rebuff him again. ] I'm sorry I'm late.

[ because he always phrases things innocuously despite the gravitas. ]

[Yep, this is weird. She can't really lie to him and just accept his offering of protection. She isn't even sure if having his protection here would be a good thing or not. Sure, it'd keep Tyler from making snap-judgments about her, but it could also step all over everything she's managed to piece together with the other wolves here.]

Does that promise still apply when I don't know you made it? [She exhales out, running a hand into her hair.] I can't accept the apology either. No one wants to be here, late -- it'd be better to never show up at all.

[ while not entirely unexpected, it's still a blow. their tentative, ah, friendship meant something significant to him, for whatever reason. still, though he suspects she is not family yet, she will be. ]

[ certainly. ] Yes. It will always apply.

[She's slightly stunned. She wonders if he knows what she did. If Klaus somehow conveniently left out her part in it, taking credit for finding them and being that clever to realize what her and Tyler had been doing. It's not that she's proud of it, but she definitely doesn't want it brushed under the table either. People died because of her and the people on this ship surely aren't cool with her forgetting anytime soon.]

You shouldn't have to do that, Elijah. Klaus isn't here. Whatever word or favor you're doing for him... [She knows it's not her place to tell people not to do things, but she doesn't understand why she'd be in his protection.]

Before I came here he had gotten a call that the vampire Katherine sent after me was dead.

Everyone here knows what I did, Tyler made sure of that, and I'm dealing with it.

[ he lets out a light laugh, though it's dampened by his overall mood. she's still hayley, independent as ever. ]

Hayley. [ said in the way only elijah can, as though it's so much more loaded than a mere name. ] It's not for him; it's for you. I assure you that I do not doubt your capabilities, and I've no intention of infringing on your reparations. I promised you protection for my own reasons — our own reasons. And I'm afraid further explanation is difficult, given the circumstances. [ a beat. then, softer. ] I apologize if I've frightened or upset you.

[This is getting a lot more odd. The tone used, the reference to 'our' and everything else that comes between she's not really sure if she wants to know. Though, she's certain once she gets over the confusion, she'll want to know. She's not exactly one to let things drop and not poke around for her own knowledge.]

Right. [The word is drawn out with a healthy dose of doubt.]

I've never met you, so given the circumstances... this is just a lot - even with so little.

Understandably so. [ geez, he doesn't even know what to do at this point, and he hates this almost helpless feeling. he's never helpless. ] We can proceed however you like from here.

[She has disarmed you, Elijah, and she doesn't even know you. Just wait until she does and then there are all those tense moments of silence. Then what??]

I'm sorry, if this is weird for you. Klaus was here before. I mean, I don't know when, but I've been told. [It was more of a warning that if he came back and she aligned with him... it wouldn't be good.]

Is there... something I should tell you about here, about what I've been doing here?

[ delicately. ] Not unless you want to tell me something.

[ he's already asking a lot. ]

I only ask that if my brother arrives again, you do not speak to him without contacting me first. I'm sure you know how he can be. [ not how he is. he is capable of both good and evil, after all, depending on his mood. ]

[She takes a breath, definitely one that's audible, as she tries to just focus on what this could even mean. She's far too curious for her own good, but she doesn't want to have something that she has to keep from other people. This is Klaus' brother and if he's protecting her... there has to be something there that involves his brother and she knows that drawing that connection back to her won't be good.]

I won't, Elijah. I ... I probably would prefer him as far away from me as possible. There are other wolves here... not the same as me, but they know what Klaus did to Tyler's pack. They know I'm responsible. Some of them already worry that if he shows up I'll side with him and betray them all.

Ah... [ yeah, keep klaus away from hayley if he's aware she's pregnant with their demon spawn. that'll happen. he clears his throat. ] I'll do what I can, in that regard. I assume you would also like to keep our contact quiet. [ a beat. ] And minimal.

[ which is the opposite of what he wants, but if that's what she wants... this is for her sake, in the end. his personal investment will always be secondary. ]

[It sounds like a lot... and really, it sounds foreign to her. She's been limiting her contact a lot on her own accord. Opting to not talk to people, to spare them having to ignore her or make comments she'd rather not hear. Caroline, for instance, is on her personal Do Not Call list. She's pretty sure that even if Tyler was hurt, that calling Caroline would only incite blame.]

You don't have to do that. [Though, she wonders if maybe he should. Not that she knows anything about Elijah in comparison to Klaus. In fact, she doesn't really know a lot about Klaus.]

It's a small ship. Keeping secrets is harder than dealing with consequences and I'm slightly familiar with handling consequences. [most fitting username for 1000.]

Can I ask you something?

[ well, that's honorable. he can understand that. ]

[ without hesitation. ] Of course.

[Honestly, of all the questions she could ask, she opts to go for the easiest one.]

When do we meet? [People are from different points in time and if she has a starting point, maybe she can at least figure out where she ends up. No one seems to want to keep track of her - but the mention of protection, it isn't something she can let go of.]

I mean, I don't know you now and I believe you when you say you have the intention of protecting me, but it's just not something I expect to hear from someone.

[ it's times like this when he realizes he doesn't understand her half as well as he assumes. after a pause for thought: ]

Judging from our conversation, I imagine it's some months in the future for you.

Some months in the future. [You're the vaguest!]

Alright. [The curve of her accent comes out stronger with the word, but it's not as though she realizes it.]

You're not like your brother, are you. [Given that he's talking to her without any condescension or air of ... well, okay a tiny air of superiority, but she doesn't think he does it on purpose. It sounds just like he carries himself that way.]

In some ways. [ which is a confession of a sort. yes, he is not his brother, as he so often reminds others, but they're not wholly unlike each other by any means.

then, nearly jokingly. ] I'm the eldest, after all. [ that is to say: the stereotype. stuffier, wiser, more mature, ever cleaning up his younger siblings' messes. ]

You know that isn't saying much. Damon is the older brother and he's kind of a dick.

[Not that she's been around the Salvatores too often, but she spent time in the mountains with Tyler while he broke his sire bond. Giving him things to focus anger on was easier once she knew some pain points. Damon was a pain point.

She's also teasing, which is clear in her tone. It's not that she wants to create a false sense of friendly bantering, but it's easier than whatever it was.]

[ he let's out a short laugh. his least favorite salvatore, though that isn't saying much. ]

Only because he shirks his responsibilities as such. [ elijah's a proper older brother, okay. ]

I'm sure you have a harder time being the big brother. Don't you have a lot of siblings? [Shane had a huge, HUGE boner for the whole Original family.]

[ ah, that prompts a solemn pause. he did have a hard time, but when he gave up and left, finn and kol died. had he been there like he should have – ]

Had, but two remain. [ perhaps that's why they mean more to him than ever before. ] And they are certainly a handful on their own, to say the least.

I'm sorry, I didn't realize. [It's not as though anyone really talks about those sort of things.]

So, being here is almost a vacation from them?

It's fine. Most don't consider it a loss. [ and therefore, not worth mentioning. he's a little bitter that no one cared to inform him right away or offer some semblance of an apology. honestly, he often wonders why he doesn't exact revenge. perhaps because it's the gilberts, and they've taken blood for blood now, haven't they? in his faithless hours, he can understand the need to eliminate kol, but finn, although he was linked – finn will always be innocent, despite his betrayal.

no, he doesn't blame the gilberts. he blames himself. ] I suppose so, though I do worry over the trouble they might find in my absence.

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